Erro Deleting File or Folder ("...being used by another per/prog.) 1

[Guest_imported]

I am trying to delete the file Twinbeam.pps off of my desktop. When I try, I receive the message:
Error Deleting File or Folder
[X in red circle] Cannot delete TWINBEAM: It is being used by another person or program. Clase any programs that might be using the file or try again.

FYI, I do not have MS Powerpoint on my machine, so I do not know what program could be using the file. No other users on this PC.

 

[linney]

Are you able to Delete it after a reboot?
Can you delete it from Safe Mode?

Sometimes this may work but I would not describe it as best practice computing. If you use the TaskManager to delete Explorer.exe. (the screen will go blank except for TaskManager). In the new task run (under file) in TaskManager browse to the file you want to delete and highlight it in the browse box (don't confuse the run box with the browse box). Now see if you can delete it by pressing the delete button.

After this use the run box in TaskManager to re launch Explorer.

 

[Mulga]

deleting in safe mode would be the best solution if it works. If you are using the FAT 32 file system you could boot the computer using a boot disk, maybe a Win 95 or 98 startup disk, it doesn't really matter what, and delete the file from DOS. All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

 

[Mulga]

I think the main question here is where did the file come from? is it part of a virus, trojan or spyware program perhaps. You should establish this as well as deleting the file itself. As for that, deleting in safe mode would be the best solution if it works. If you are using the FAT 32 file system you could boot the computer using a boot disk, maybe a Win 95 or 98 startup disk, it doesn't really matter what, and delete the file from DOS. All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

 

[Guest_imported]

Try rebooting, and then deleting the file. By rebooting you may be closing the program using the file, and as soon as your computer comes back up, without opening any other program, try deleting the intended file. If this measure does not work, then perhaps it is being used by your computer as a system file.

 

[libertytech]

the best thing that works for me is this:

if you get an error message when attempting to delete a file, right-click the file and click properties. if any other program is using the file, the control will be released at this point. click ok on the properties window and attempt to delete again.

if the problem persists...is the file inside a shared folder? if so, unshare the folder from the network and try again.

if you are still having problems, then rebooting is your best option, as stated before.

 

[Guest_imported]

Deleting the files in Safe Mode worked. THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[awu72]

I just wanted to say that I've had this same error for another file.

Under MS's website they indicate the problem as "Access Denied" Error Message When You Try to Delete a File (Q298345). As of a month ago, they didn't have a solution.

I tried deleting the file from safe mode but couldn't get it to delete, but I finally tried linney's suggestion about using the task manager and stopping explorer.exe, then deleting it from task manager's run/browse function. That worked for me.

 

[im2dtailed]

Hi, I have this problem ALL THE TIME with various types of files and it DRIVES ME NUTS! Furthermore they are files that I created for the most part. They are files I store on my second hard drive (Fat32) and when I decide to organize and rename and move and delete...it will not let me half the time! I have to REBOOT to do it! I have done the safe mode thing and that did not work. Besides who wants to boot to safe mode every time they want to move or delete a file! This happens with folders and files I create on my desktop, too. They are NOT in use by another person and I am the only one who uses this computer. I NEVER had this trouble in Windows 98SE. BSOD's, but not this! It is really very maddening! I do not have file sharing enabled.
I also wanted to tell the user who had the Twinbeam.pps file that he does not have to have Power Point to see a presentation...all he has to do is go to Google and type in Power Point Viewer and he can download a FREE Power Point Viewer so he can see them without having to install the actual program. Same with MS WORD. :-D

 

[Shaith]

You might doublecheck your drive and make sure you're still running FAT32 and not NTFS - this screams permissions problems.

And for those access denied issues - try taking ownership of the file/folder using an administrative account, then assign your username full rights to the file/folder.

 

[im2dtailed]

Hi, Shaith. It is definatley a FAT32 file system on the second hard drive. I have no doubt. In fact just yesterday I checked the MONITORING and it says one drive is NTFS and the other is FAT32. And I am the administrator on the computer and NO ONE but me uses it. In light of this...any ideas? I CAN delete without rebooting if I go to the Task Manager and END PROCESS on Explorer and then restart it but that is also a pain. Other than this XP is great! It flys! BUT it certainly does not FLY when I have to contend with this kind of thing! I would really like to get to the bottom of what is causing it.
Thank you, again! :-D

 

[Shaith]

Things to check:

Event logs. Error messages in the event log can point out what's going on. Look for messages with an Error beside them.

Running services and apps: Hit control-alt-delete, bring up the task manager. What apps/services are running when you get the denied message?

 

[linney]

We are all waiting for Microsoft to solve this. Maybe SP1 when it is released in a couple of months will do it. For now it is just part of the XP experience.

This might offer some explanation as to the "why"


A File Cannot Be Deleted or Accessed on an NTFS Volume (Q159199)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q159/1/99.asp

 

[im2dtailed]

Well, it is so arbitrary when it will happen. There is never anything out of the ordinary running. By that I mean these things are always running. There are 14 USER items running...like scanner, modem, Wacom drawing tablet, Direct CD, Keyboard and printer. Then there is 1 'local server' and 1 'network service' (whatever THOSE ARE!) and then there are 18 SYSTEM items. One thing that is running is NPROTECT.EXE which I am assuming is my Norton Antivirus. It says it is a SYSTEM item. I do NOT have it checked to run and it is not in the systray. I do not LIKE it running. But I am not sure I can end process on this one because it is a SYSTEM item. I also run MSCONFIG and make sure nothing is running in there that I do not NEED and I have NOTHING in the start up folder. I do not know what error logs to look at or where. I do know that OCCASIONALLY I have a minidump or something to that affect.
Also, in Windows 98 I knew what files to clean out and where they were but I do not know really in XP other than the TEMP files. Any ideas on that? And I do NOT like to let anything be done automatically. I like to KNOW what is being done and not have some program do things as it wills without me knowing what it is. Thanks for responding.

 

[im2dtailed]

Linney, That would not apply in my case as for the most part this is happening with a FAT32 drive. I hope they solve it soon. It is a major irritation.

 

[GenesisCraigM]

This file locking problem has existed, regardless of file system type, since Windows NT 4 and Microsoft has never fixed this. This happens to me ALL the time. Even if you dump all file handles to screen, nothing has a handle on the file in question. Since this problem has existed for about 6 years, I've basically given up hope on Microsoft fixing it.
Craig J Matthews
System Administrator, Genesis Group
craigm@genesisgroup.com

 

[linney]

Reply for im2dtailed


Error Logs refer to the Event Viewer.

Right click on My Computer then click on Manage, it will take you there.


This site will help you decide what programs and services you need running.

http://www.blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

This site is also good to check out strange programs your not sure about.

http://www.greatis.com/regrun3.htm

Look for the link on the left for the Application Database.

 

[im2dtailed]

Very helpful. Thanks! This is going to take some time! :-D

 

[Shaith]

To im2dtailed:

nprotect.exe is the symantec recycle bin protection. Right-click the recycle bin and turn off all norton protection for all drives. This should prevent nprotect from loading. See if you still experience your problem after doing this.

Shaith
Network Engineer
MCP, Windows XP

 

[im2dtailed]

Thanks Shaith,
Sorry it took so long to answer...been out of town!
I had already turned off all the Recycle Bin preotection after it was installed but it still LOADED. Weird. Anyway, I set it to NEVER come on in the PROCESSES tab so it does not come on any more. Thank you for your help. I will let you know if I have any more trouble. I do not know if that affects it or not. Maybe!!! We shall see!